ABSTRACT
Psychological resilience refers to the way in which an individual adapts to or bounces back in the wake of adversity. Although both posttraumatic growth (PTG) and resilience reflect positive and desirable post-trauma processes, there are ample reasons to distinguish between the two constructs. The purpose of this chapter is to provide insights and identify empirical findings that highlight these distinctions. First, the background of resilience is introduced, leading to the discussion of the relationship it has shared with PTG. We then go on to report studies that were recently conducted pinpointing similarities and differences between PTG and resilience. Subsequently, we analyze the strengths and benefits of PTG and resilience-focused intervention programs, proposing avenues for improvement. The chapter concludes by discussing the merit of making distinctions between the two constructs and identifying directions for future research.
